Electric Shocks: Why They Matter and What to Do

An electric shock can cause serious injury even when the person looks well and there is little, or no, visible burn.

Key Takeaways
Do not touch the person until they are no longer in contact with the electrical supply and the area is safe.
Once safe, check responsiveness and breathing. Call 144/112 and start CPR if they are not breathing normally.
Electrical injury can be hidden. Seek medical advice after an electric shock, even if the person seems to have recovered.

Electric shocks can happen in everyday life

Electricity is part of almost everything we do. At home, school or work, a damaged cable, faulty appliance, exposed wire or contact between electricity and water can cause a shock. Young children may also explore sockets or chew electrical cords. Many incidents are preventable, but even ordinary household electricity can cause serious injury.¹

The effects vary widely. A brief contact may cause a frightening jolt, while a stronger or longer exposure can result in burns, abnormal heart rhythms, breathing problems or a fall. Risk also depends on the type of current, wetness of the skin and the route through the body.²

How does electricity damage the body?

Our heart, nerves and muscles rely on tiny electrical signals to function. An external current can disrupt those signals, affecting the heart rhythm or causing breathing to stop. Alternating current can also trigger powerful muscle contractions. This may make it impossible for someone to let go, increasing the time they remain in contact with the source.²

As electricity travels through the body, some energy becomes heat, damaging skin, nerves, muscles, blood vessels and organs. The skin can be misleading: a small burn, or no visible burn, does not rule out deeper injury. A sudden contraction or fall can also cause fractures (breaks in a bone), dislocations or head and spinal injuries.²

What should you do if you suspect electric shock?

1. Make the scene safe

Do not touch the person while they may still be connected to the current. For household electricity, switch off the power at the mains or circuit breaker if you can do so safely. Unplug an appliance only when this can be done without touching water, damaged wiring or exposed metal. If you cannot turn off the electricity, use a dry, non-conductive object, such as a wooden broom handle, to move the electrical source away from the person. If you cannot isolate the supply, keep away and call 144/112.^1,2

High-voltage electricity: stay well away from overhead or fallen power lines, railway supplies and damaged equipment. The earth around a faulty cable can be live up to 18 metres away from the contact point, and the electricity can ‘arc’ up to 2 metres through the air. Insulating material such as wood or plastic will not protect you. Call 144/112 and wait until the electricity provider or emergency services confirms the area is safe.²

2. Check responsiveness and breathing

If the person is unresponsive and not breathing normally, call 144/112, start Basic Life Support immediately, performing cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and using an automated external defibrillator (AED) as soon as possible. ³
If they are unresponsive but breathing normally, if there is no concern about trauma, place the person on their side in the recovery position and monitor their breathing. Call 144/112. If a fall or other trauma is possible, avoid unnecessary movement and follow the emergency call handler’s advice.³
If they are responsive, keep them still, reassure them and check for burns and injuries.

3. Cool and cover visible burns

Once the electricity is definitely off, cool any skin burn under cool running water for 20 minutes. Remove jewellery and loose clothing near the burn, but do not pull away anything stuck to the skin. Once cooled, cover the burn loosely with a sterile non-stick dressing or clean plastic film. Keep the rest of the person warm. Do not use ice, creams, butter or adhesive dressings, and do not burst blisters.¹

When is urgent medical help needed?

Call 144/112 immediately following a high-voltage electrical injury or lightning strike, or if any of the following applies:

loss of consciousness, even briefly, or if a person is confused or unusually drowsy
abnormal breathing, chest pain, palpitations or an irregular pulse
seizures, weakness, numbness, severe muscle pain or contractions
a significant burn, a fall, or a suspected head, neck or other injury
a person has received an electric shock while wet or in water.

Pregnant people and anyone with a heart condition or implanted cardiac device should also receive urgent medical advice. Children with electrical burns, especially burns to the mouth from biting a cable, need prompt specialist assessment.²

After a brief household shock, a person who has no symptoms or burns may not require hospital monitoring. However, you should arrange prompt medical advice so their individual risk can be assessed. A clinician may check for burns and injuries, perform an electrocardiogram (ECG), and, depending on the circumstances, arrange blood or urine tests or observation.¹

WHAT ABOUT ELECTRIC FENCES?

Electric fences are commonly used around fields in the countryside to keep farm animals in and wild animals (and people) out. They may also be used to protect military, government and other secure sites. Where people may come into contact with them, appropriate warning signs should be displayed.

An energiser sends very short pulses of high-voltage electricity along the fence wires, usually about once a second. You may sometimes hear a quiet click or buzz as each pulse travels along the wire. This is different from the continuous electrical supply found in our homes and buildings and is designed to produce a brief but unpleasant shock rather than cause injury.

When a person or animal touches the electrified wire while also in contact with the ground, they complete the electrical circuit and may feel a brief, painful shock. If two or more people form a chain of contact, for example, a child holding the hand of an adult who touches the fence, the electrical pulse will pass through both people.

A correctly installed and maintained electric fence should be no more than an uncomfortable deterrent. Serious injury from a standard agricultural fence is very rare. However, the risk may be greater if a fence is faulty or incorrectly installed, or if someone becomes trapped or entangled and is unable to move away, resulting in repeated shocks.

Although a brief shock from a correctly functioning electric fence is unlikely to cause serious injury, all electrical shocks should be taken seriously. Seek medical advice following an electric shock, particularly if there are burns, pain, palpitations, breathing difficulties, loss of consciousness or any other concerning symptoms, or if the person was trapped or received repeated shocks. Call the emergency services immediately if the person is unresponsive, not breathing normally or appears seriously unwell.

Reduce the risk

Know where the mains switch and circuit breaker are at home and at work.
Replace damaged cables and appliances; use a qualified electrician for electrical repairs.
Keep electrical appliances away from water and make sure sockets in damp or outdoor areas have RCD protection.*
Use socket covers where appropriate and keep cables out of young children’s reach.

*An RCD (residual current device) is a safety device that quickly cuts the electricity if it detects a fault, helping to protect against electric shock. In Switzerland, it may also be called an FI switch (German) or DDR (French).

BE READY TO ACT

First aid skills fade without practice. Refresh your resuscitation and first aid skills with a HealthFirst public first aid course.

Medical disclaimer: This article provides general first aid information and does not replace practical training, emergency advice or individual medical assessment. In a medical emergency in Switzerland, call 144 for an ambulance.

References

Healthdirect Australia. Electric shocks and burns. Reviewed September 2025. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/electric-shocks-and-burns
Nigel Barraclough MRCPara CertEd. Paediatric First Aid Made Easy, Edition 13.1, p.50
Djärv T, et al. European Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2025: First Aid. Resuscitation. 2025;215(Suppl 1):110752. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resuscitation.2025.110752